Second Temple

Hebrew Language Toggle IconEnglish Language Toggle Icon
Megillat Ta'anit
An ancient chronicle listing festive days on which public fasting was prohibited

Apocrypha

Ancient books written in biblical style that were not included in the canonization of the Tanakh.
Ben Sira
Poetic book of guidance for living a wise and ethical life, composed in the second century BCE
Book of Jubilees
Retelling of biblical stories from creation through Exodus, as told to Moses by an angel.
Book of Judith
Tale of a heroic woman named Judith who seduces and kills an enemy general.
Book of Tobit
Story of two families living in the First Temple period and their devotion to the commandments.
Letter of Aristeas
Story of the Septuagint translation of the Torah into Greek from the 2nd century BCE.
Megillat Antiochus
Accounts of the Maccabees’ victories over the Syrian Greeks, told centuries later.
Prayer of Manasseh
15-verse prayer of repentance attributed to Manasseh ben Hezekiah, the 14th king of Judah.
Psalm 151
10-verse psalm attributed to King David after he slayed the giant Goliath.
Psalm 154
20-verse psalm of praise to God composed sometime before the 1st century CE.
The Book of Maccabees I
Accounts of the Maccabees’ revolt against the Syrian Greeks, the story behind Chanukah.
The Book of Maccabees I (Kahana Translation)
The Book of Maccabees II
Accounts of hellenization, persecution of Jews under Antiochus, and battles of Judah Maccabee.
The Book of Susanna
Story of attempted rape included in Greek versions of the Book of Daniel.
The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs
Final speeches of the 12 sons of Jacob, reflecting on their lives and blessing their descendants.
The Wisdom of Solomon
Philosophical discussions about wisdom likely composed in Egypt in the 1st century BCE.

Philo

1st-century Jewish philosopher from Alexandria, Egypt, whose works often attempt to reconcile biblical interpretation with Greek philosophy.
Against Flaccus
Allegorical Interpretation of Genesis
Concerning Noah's Work as a Planter
Allegorical commentary to Genesis that discusses God’s "planting" of the world and whether drunkenness is wise.
Every Good Man is Free
Philo's discussion of the relationship between wisdom and freedom, according to Stoicism and the Bible.
Hypothetica
On Abraham
On Dreams
On Drunkenness
On Flight and Finding
On Husbandry
On Joseph
On Mating with the Preliminary Studies
On Providence
On Rewards and Punishments
On the Account of the World's Creation
On the Birth of Abel and the Sacrifices Offered by him and by his Brother Cain
On the Change of Names
On the Cherubim
On the Confusion of Tongues
On the Contemplative Life or Suppliants
On the Decalogue
On the Eternity of the World
On the Giants
On the Life of Moses
On the Migration of Abraham
On the Posterity of Cain and his Exile
On the Prayers and Curses Uttered by Noah when he Became Sober
On the Special Laws
On the Unchangeableness of God
On the Virtues
That the Worse is wont to Attack the Better
The Midrash of Philo
Oldest recorded allegorical biblical commentary with 20th-century explanations.
Who is the Heir of Divine Things

Josephus

1st-century Jewish-Roman historian whose voluminous works provide ample material about Jewish life at the end of the Second Temple period.
Against Apion
Theological defense of Judaism, refuting antisemitic contentions and arguing for Judaism’s ethical superiority.
The Antiquities of the Jews
20-volume history of the Jews from their biblical origins through the Jewish-Roman wars of the 1st century CE.
The War of the Jews
History of the Jews from the Maccabees’ revolt in 167 BCE through the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE and its aftermath.

About Second Temple

“Second Temple” includes works compiled around the time period of the Second Temple, which stood for several centuries and was destroyed in 70 CE. This was also the time period in which the Tanakh was canonized and the Mishnah, Tosefta, and midrash began to develop.

Support Sefaria

Sefaria is an open source, nonprofit project. Support us by making a tax-deductible donation.
donation iconMake a Donation